


Respite

by chezamanda



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Actual Bodice Ripping, Cullenlingus, Cunnilingus, Dragon Age Quest: Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts, Eventual Minor Iron Bull/Dorian Pavus, Eventual Sex, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fingerfucking, Magical Artifacts, Magical Sex Toys, Masturbation, Orlesian Balls, Possibly Unrequited Love, Sex, Sex Toys, Sexual Fantasy, Unrequited Lust, Vaginal Fingering
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-05-30
Packaged: 2018-05-14 17:17:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5751604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chezamanda/pseuds/chezamanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inquisitor takes a much needed break.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to eiluned for the beta work.
> 
> And thanks to the DA creators for making such a fuckable collection of pixels.

Aliénor blushed at the sight of the object that she had just completed. Thanks to Dorian - and a bit too much Orlesian wine - she had come into possession of a schematic for a very _personal_ item. It was thick but about half a foot tall, with a curved, bulbous head, and sat on a flared base. On its base sat an equally rare, and special, faceted black gemstone that she had also needed to collect in order to finish it. The titian wood that she'd had to find for it came from a very special tree said to be blessed by spirits. _Spirits of getting off_ , she thought to herself. With a few words and a bit of magical hand waving, the materials had turned into the thing before her on the desk. There was no mistaking what it was meant to represent.

She walked away from the bureau, laughing at her foolishness. For years she had made do with her fingers in order to get off, as she often found herself distanced from outside contact in the Circle. This was… too much. Outside, the bells indicated it was eleven o’clock. Walking back over, she stashed it in a drawer and then locked it. There were more important matters to which she needed to attend, anyway. She left her chambers and went to meet with Josephine to settle some recent missions in Ferelden.

“We received word of a small, but willing group of soldiers who would like to join us. Would you mind taking this report to Commander Cullen to let him know?” Josephine asked once they had finished their two hour long meeting. She passed a roll of parchment across the desk to Aliénor. “I believe he's overseeing some training exercises in the courtyard.”

Aliénor took the report with a nod. “Anything else? How is Yvette, by the way?”

“My sister? Quite well, thank you,” she said. “She will be thrilled to know you asked after her, of course.”

Smiling, Aliénor stood and strolled out of Josephine's office and back into the main hall. It felt as though Skyhold’s numbers were growing by the hour, a constant noise that only died out when she locked herself away in her chambers. Not that she minded, the Inquisition needed as many allies as it could find. 

Outside in the courtyard, she found Cullen mid-spar with one of the recruits. Both men stripped to the waist and sweating beneath the afternoon sun. She stopped dead in her tracks. Of course she has seen men shirtless, some even naked, but most definitely not _Cullen_. Not her very by-the-books, former Chantry member, commanding officer. He easily overpowered the recruit, putting him down with muscles gleaming with sweat and flexing. Her face suddenly felt hot, and she quickly looked around for a place to hide. 

Demons? Not a problem. 

Cullen half naked and pinning someone? Problem. 

Before she had the chance to dart out of sight, Cullen locked eyes with her. The smile that tugged at his mouth made her knees go a little weak. He helped the younger man to his feet, and instructed the rest to continue without him for a moment.

“Something I can help you with, Inquisitor?” he asked, keeping his address formal even though they were on a first name basis. 

“Report for you,” she managed, and handed him the scroll. 

“Thank you.”

Their bare hands touched briefly as she passed it to him, and she hoped he didn't hear the sharp intake of breath that followed. Quickly collecting herself, Aliénor straightened and nodded, then excused herself. She made a beeline back into the building and nearly ran into Dorian in the process. 

“Something the matter?” he asked. “I was just on my way to oversee today’s fighting lesson. Care to join?”

“Sorry, maybe another time,” she replied and breezed past him. 

Aliénor didn't stop to speak with anyone along the way, just barely acknowledging the standard greetings from Skyhold’s inhabitants. Finally, after all the staircases and turns, she made it to her bedroom. To her knowledge, it was the largest and most well furnished. Its distance from everyone provided her with some well-deserved privacy when she had the time to even rest. Changing hastily out of her leathers, Aliénor found a simple but absurdly comfortable, white dressing gown to keep the chill off her naked form, and curled beneath the covers. 

Sleep, unfortunately, kept itself at bay despite her best efforts. She felt too wound up, too much weighing on her mind she figured, and too little time for herself. That image of Cullen taking down one of his recruits flashed back into her memory. Throwing her covers off, Aliénor paced about the room and then stopped in front of her desk. It dawned on her that she hadn't been with anyone in months, nearly a year when she thought back to a little tryst she had with a barmaid. And as for taking care of things herself, when she was back at Skyhold, she often was asleep as soon as she hit the bed. 

Aliénor circled around the desk and opened the locked drawer to look at the… item she had made. Per Dorian’s tale, what she recalled of it, the enchantment on said item allowed it to vibrate and cater itself to whatever the user desired. She laughed it off at the time, assuming he was just pulling her leg or very, very drunk.

“This is ridiculous,” she chastised herself.

Still, she looked at the lurid object in that drawer and couldn't bring herself to walk away. She glanced around the room despite knowing she was quite alone, and then retrieved it. It was slightly heavy, but felt good on her hand. Almost _too_ good. 

Nerves twisted her insides as she returned to the bed, and took a seat on the edge of it. There was a jewel at the base that she carefully pushed and brought the object to life, causing it to emit a low rumble in her grasp. 

“Oh.”

Aliénor was surprised at how nice it felt, and out of curiosity, pressed the stone again. Rather than stopping, the rumbling grew more intense with each push until it was so intensely that the low sound became a high-pitched whine. One final push and it returned to normal, no longer shaking in her hands. Just holding the thing had excited her, and she could feel a surge of wet arousal between her thighs. 

_Who’s going to know?_ , she told herself. A grin spread across her face. 

She piled up a few pillows and rested back against them. The robe remained in tact but untied, leaving a long line of exposed skin that she could see in a nearby mirror. It had been a while since she had really looked at herself, and she was surprised by how much her body has changed since she joined the Inquisition. Muscles had formed along her abdomen, more pronounced than they had ever been, and her thighs had thickened with them. Her hair, which she quickly pulled out of its braids, was quite long and well tended thanks to Josephine’s insistence that the Herald not only be a good fighter but presentable when meeting with nobility. 

Aliénor stroked along her belly, enjoying the ridges of muscle hidden just barely beneath soft skin. Again, her thoughts turned to Cullen and his sculpted body. It was positively sinful for someone to look like that. She had tried making her interest known, but he easily became flustered despite his otherwise unshakeable nature. That made her wonder if he harbored similar feelings for her.

Her thoughts drifted, imagining how Cullen would take her that first time. Probably gently at first, ensuring she wanted him (how could she not?), and that she was comfortable. She would want to skip to the good part, and get him naked so she could take him in. He’d bite back a deep groan when her hands or mouth found the right spots on him, and she would do likewise as he explored her body.

Aliénor gasped as her fingers slipped between her folds, slick and hot already. Her little bud ached, having gone untouched for so long. Perhaps she wouldn't even need the device that laid beside her on the mattress, she thought as she circled the bundle of nerves. Two fingers sank easily into her cunt, but they just weren't enough. She added a third and it felt a little better, enough to elicit a gasp, but still couldn't hit the spot.

Reaching over, she took the item and carefully eased it into her body. The stretch made her cry out as it pushed her nearly to the limit of discomfort, but soon dissipated into a wonderfully full feeling. She took a moment to savor it, pretending it was Cullen buried so deeply inside of her. With one hand holding it in place, she used the other to massage her breast. They had always been so sensitive, and even more so now that her entire body sang with pleasure. 

A few experimental thrusts had her panting and toes curling with excitement. This was just too good. Carefully, she set the object to vibrating and the pleasure intensified with each press of the gemstone at its base. When her knees drew together of their own volition, she knew she had found the perfect setting, and began to fuck herself with the fake cock. 

Her mind wound it into a fantasy of Cullen taking her against some hidden wall somewhere. Clothes hastily pushed out of the way so they could get to the important places. Maker only knew how much time they had before someone came looking for one or both of them. He turned her away from him, fucking her from behind so hard it made her hips hurt. She loved it - the fierceness of it, the desperation.

Getting up, Aliénor maneuvered herself onto her knees and reached beneath her body to mimic the fantasy. Much to her surprise, the fake cock began to do the work for her and left her hand free to work at her clit instead. She groaned, loving how it matched what Cullen was doing to her in her mind. 

“Maker, yes! Yes!” she cried as it pounded over that sensitive spot inside of her cunt. 

In her head, Cullen had a surprisingly filthy mouth, and practically growled as he fucked her. His large hands dug into the swell of her hips and he made her his. She came, shouting his name and sobbing for air. Her knees went weak, but she was able to keep herself upright thanks to the pillows and headboard. Her walls clenched around the toy, and she whimpered as she reached down to gingerly withdraw it a few moments later. 

And then, to Aliénor’s complete shock and horror, the floorboards creaked on the staircase. 

“Inquisitor?” Cullen called up to her.

She had just enough time to hastily cover herself with the robe before he came into view. 

“I heard you shouting my name and-” Cullen trailed off as he caught sight of her. 

She realized just then that she was not only barely dressed but that the toy was still in plain sight in the bed. Cullen quickly averted his gaze, turning towards the wall. 

“My apologies, Inquisitor,” he said. “I'll just… go.”

Without meeting her gaze, Cullen turned and retreated down the stairs. Aliénor laid back on the bed and pulled a pillow over her face because maybe suffocation wouldn't be as bad as having to face Cullen at the war table after this whole debacle. She also decided that she would never be able to masturbate ever again without thinking of this. And if Cullen had heard her, Maker only knew who else had in Skyhold. 

This was all Dorian’s fault.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Court intrigue and a bit of dancing set things in motion for Aliénor and Cullen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Pamela for the beta work.
> 
> Hey! I finally updated this. It's been wasting away on my Drive account for months. 
> 
> For reference, [this](http://www.medievalbridalfashions.com/nowandforever.htm) is Ali's dress. You know Ruffles couldn't resist bringing a fancy change of clothes for the Orlesian ball ;D

Three agonizing weeks had passed since The Incident. Aliénor tried to avoid eye contact with Cullen as much as possible, and he appeared to be doing the same. If anyone at the War Table noticed, no one mentioned it. She was certain that Leliana knew but kept it to herself except for a few curious looks that Aliénor caught. Naturally, Dorian picked up on their behavior, and pulled her aside in the library.

"The pair of you are acting even stranger than usual," he said. "What is it?"

"Nothing that concerns you, Dorian," she answered while keeping her eyes fixed on a book of Fereldan lore.

Aliénor should have known better that Dorian wasn't about to let it go. And he didn't stop pestering her about it the rest of the afternoon. She eventually gave in after dinner, and came up with an abridged version of what had happened. 

"He… walked… in… on… you?" Dorian howled, so beside himself with laughter that he could barely get the words out.

Her face burned, and she stole a look around the room to make sure no one else had noticed his carrying on. "That is quite enough."

"Oh, no. Please tell it again, Ali," he said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "This is too good. I must tell Sera."

"You will do nothing of the sort!"

Dorian only continued to laugh, his body bent at the waist as he held onto the table to keep himself upright. The others in the dining hall were starting to stare at the spectacle he was making of himself, Cullen included. Her blush deepened as their gazes met across the room, and she quickly turned back to trying to shut Dorian up. Cullen knows, he has to know, she worried. Eventually Dorian’s cackling subsided and he held his side as though he pulled a muscle with that display.

"Are you finished?" she asked. 

Fanning his reddened face, Dorian let out a sigh. "I believe so, yes."

Aliénor glanced over to where Cullen sat. He had gone back to eating, not speaking to anyone else nearby. She knew that they had to discuss The Incident at some point, but it seemed far more likely the world would come to an end before either of them brought it up. Part of her thought it might just be better that way, though she wasn’t keen on the whole notion of dying.

"Just invite him into your chambers and get it over with already," Dorian told her.

"If only it were that simple," she said with a sigh.

* * *

Not long after, the Inquisition made their way to the Winter Palace at Halamshiral to settle some Orlesian political intrigue. What Aliénor had not expected was that they would take both the Duchess Florianne and Duke Gaspard into custody and reunite the Empress with her Elven lover, Briala. She now knew why her mother's family had distanced themselves from Orlesian society so many years ago. The masks certainly had to have played a role in that decision, let alone the ridiculous amounts of posturing needed to get by in society. However, her nearly flawless accent impressed the new ruling couple and courtiers alike. They found the Ostwick accent that wove into her Orlesian to be charming. She excused herself and went out to one of the empty terraces in search of fresh air and a moment to herself.

Aliénor welcomed the cool breeze across her bare shoulders. The corseted, deep red gown that she had changed into showed off considerably more than her dress uniform, but wasn't covered in blood either. Josephine had brought the gown along with some coordinating jewelry and shoes, knowing that the court would look more favorably on the gown than the practical uniform. She also helped Aliénor stuff herself into the dress after Empress Celene had appointed Briala the new Marquise of the Dales to the court.

"There you are. Everyone has been looking for you."

She felt herself straighten at the sound of Cullen's voice. 

"… oh," Cullen said as she turned to look at him. He hadn't yet seen her in the new clothing. "Maker, you're lovely."

Her face suddenly felt hot, and she smoothed her hands over the gold embroidery on her bodice. The flowing, pale yellow sleeves fluttered slightly in the breeze.

"Thank you," she answered.

"Things have calmed down for the moment. Are you all right?"

He walked over to her and leaned against the stone railing. It felt as though all the awkwardness between them disappeared. She let herself relax for the moment.

"I'm just worn out," she said, looking back out over the gardens. "Tonight has been… very long."

"For all of us. I'm glad it's over." He paused before touching her shoulder, his skin burning against hers. "I know it's foolish, but I was worried for you tonight."

She let out a little exhale of breath and patted his hand. 

"I may never have another chance like this, so I must ask," he said, gesturing toward the middle of the terrace before bowing with his hand extended to her. "May I have this dance, my lady?"

Her pulse quickened. She could not have been more shocked if he had proposed marriage, but she recovered quickly. Placing her hand in his, she allowed him to guide her into his arms.

"Of course. I thought you didn't dance," she quipped.

He smirked. "For you, I'll try."

For someone not well acquainted with dancing, Cullen held his own very well. He did make a few missteps and caught the hem of Aliénor’s dress beneath his boot, but without any major structural damage. Regardless, Cullen still blushed and apologized profusely. It helped lighten the mood, though The Incident still hung around at the back of her mind.

“Cullen, about what happened…” she began, but trailed off when she realized that she didn’t know what to say. “I should have made sure the door was locked properly.”

He reddened further. “No, I shouldn’t have intruded.”

Ducking her head, Aliénor laughed and then shook her head. “I suppose I could have made my interest known in a more conventional way,” she said. 

“It was rather… surprising, to say the least,” he replied, curling a finger beneath her chin to raise her eyes back to his. “But not unwelcome.”

She felt her knees go wobbly beneath her. “Oh… well, good,” she stammered. “Glad that’s-”

Before she was able to finish the sentence, Cullen brought his mouth down to hers in a kiss that made shivers run down her spine. His hand tightened at her waist, and she sighed against his lips. She couldn’t remember the last time someone had kissed her, let alone cause her to swoon.

“Ahem.”

Aliénor’s eyes flew open and she turned around, finding a rather smug Dorian standing at the door to the terrace. “If you’re not terribly busy, your dance card has grown quite full, my dear. Best not keep the Orlesians waiting,” he said, smirking.

She sighed and watched him leave. “Unfortunately he’s right, I-” she trailed off when Cullen turned her and kissed her again.

“Until later, my lady.”

Feeling a little dazed, Aliénor managed to remove herself from Cullen’s embrace and returned to the party. Dorian sidled up to her at the railing that looked down over the dance floor. He swirled his wine in its goblet.

“I see you two have resolved your… problem,” he commented breezily and took a sip.

“Maybe you should ask Bull for a dance, Dorian,” she replied with a smirk.

He sputtered, coughing violently. “Whyever would I do such a thing?”

“I’m not the only one harboring feelings for a fellow Inquisition member, _mon p’tit chou_. Excuse me.”

Aliénor left her little cabbage (he hated that nickname) to examine his very obvious attraction to the Iron Bull and met with another masked courtier for a spin about the ballroom. Her thoughts remained fixed on Cullen and the feeling of his lips on hers. The courtier commented on her “beautiful glow” and how she could attain it herself. Aliénor kept the secret to herself.

* * *

Aliénor fumbled at the laces of her bodice and wondered if there was a spell that could do the work for her. The lengthy fabric at the end of each sleeve made it nearly impossible to see what she was doing in the mirror. And the stiff material of the corset only added to her difficulty. She knew that if she damaged the dress in any way, Josephine would probably kill her, or at the very least give her a very stern lecture. Three soft knocks carried through the thick, intricately decorated doors to her guest room.

“Who is it?” she called.

“It’s me,” Cullen said from the other side. “May I come in?”

“Of course.”

As he entered, she caught his gaze in the glass and saw him startle at the sight of her. She snorted. “Cullen, you’ve walked in on me doing far worse,” she said. “Lend me a hand with these blighted laces?”

To his credit, Cullen rallied and came to her aid. She watched his eyebrows furrow slightly as he worked at the knot. Swearing beneath his breath, he tugged and tugged at the lacing which jostled her slightly. He apologized and then produced a small blade from his boot that he used to slice up the stays. She took a deep, satisfying breath as the beautiful, but restrictive gown loosened around her body.

“Josephine will be very cross with you for that, Commander,” she pointed out in an arched tone.

“Desperate measures needed to be taken,” he answered. “I’m sure she will understand.”

The weight of Cullen’s gaze brought out a shiver that swept from her head all the way down to her toes. His hand slipped beneath the material as he stepped up behind her. She allowed the gown to slide off of her frame, leaving her in just her smalls. Cullen then gently pulled each intricate plait loose from her updone hair and set the pins on the dresser in front of her once he had finished. All the while he worked, he said nothing, and Aliénor’s heart pounded furiously against her ribcage.

Brushing her hair out of the way, he pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder. His fingers ghosted down her side, almost purposefully avoiding her breasts before coming to rest on her hip. “Do you want this?” he asked in a rough whisper.

Turning, Aliénor responded by capturing Cullen’s mouth in a searing kiss. Her bare breasts pressed against the smooth material of his dress uniform. One large hand came down to caress the curve of her backside, and then the two of them were moving until she felt the wooden dresser behind her. He perched her on the edge of it before stepping away from her. She whined at the loss.

“Just a moment, my lady,” he said with a little smirk.

She watched as he slowly peeled off his uniform; a little too slowly for her liking. Her mouth practically watered as he revealed more of the sculpted muscle beneath it. During a few missions in the past, she had caught sight of him but never had the chance to really take him in. He was simply gorgeous, flaws and all, and she eagerly waited to see more. To her great disappointment, his trousers remained.

“I don’t think you’re finished, Commander,” she said as he returned to her.

“On the contrary,” he replied, bending down to brush his mouth over hers, “I’m just getting started.”

Cullen forged a path with his mouth down the column of her throat, pausing briefly to lavish attention upon each breast. She arched up against him with a mewl as he sucked one peak between his lips. His hand crept down between their bodies until it found the fabric between her thighs and then tugged it down to her knees. With a bit of help from her, the material slipped off to the floor. A rumbling groan came from him the moment his roughened fingers met her wetness, as though he’d never felt anything better in his life. He circled her aching little bud until she was writhing beneath the onslaught. 

Cullen lifted his head and stole another kiss as he worked her. She needed more, and whined against his lips. “Please just fuck me, Cullen.”

“I want to taste you first,” he said, and she was certain her mind had ceased to function. 

Making his way back down her body, Cullen dropped soft, almost worshipful kisses along her skin until he knelt between her spread thighs. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, and watched him shift one leg over his shoulder, leaving her open for him. He licked a hot line up the center of her, ending at the tight, aching little bud nestled between her folds. Every inch of her throbbed with want. Teasing her with little licks and circles, Cullen then drew her clit between his lips and sucked hard.

“Maker,” she sobbed, her head dropping back against the mirror.

He teased her entrance with his tongue before slipping two fingers inside. She cried out again. The sound echoed off the cavernous room, and idly she wondered who might have heard her. Not that Cullen’s attention gave her much time for coherent thought. Deep moans of pleasure vibrated up through her body as he feasted on her cunt. She reached down and fisted his artful blond curls so that she could ride his mouth. 

“Oh yes, that's it.”

Three fingers pressed in, working the sensitive spot inside of her as though Cullen knew exactly where to touch. Pleasure exploded within her body, making her see stars. Her legs tightened around him as her body trembled violently. It took Cullen’s gentle urging to loosen her grip, and she shivered as he withdrew his fingers. Grinning and a little short of breath, she watched as he lapped up the wetness from the inside of her thighs. With his normally tamed hair out of control and his mouth shining with her arousal, Cullen looked impossibly handsome.

He surged to his feet and captured her mouth. Reaching between their bodies, Aliénor tugged at the fastenings on his trousers and then pushed them down over his hips. She closed her hand around his cock, and Cullen hissed at her touch. Her thumb and middle finger just barely met on the other side of his shaft.

“You’re just full of surprises, aren’t you?” she purred up at him, stroking the thick length of him.

His hand clamped down on her wrist, and he took a moment to control himself. “And this will be over far too quickly if you keep that up,” he warned.

Before she had the chance to tease him further, Cullen swept Aliénor up into his arms and moved over to the ornate bed. He shucked his trousers the rest of the way off before joining her on the mattress. Licking her lips, Aliénor wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders and then reclaimed his mouth. She felt his cock brush against her overly sensitive sex and she whimpered into the kiss.

“Please take me, Cullen.”

Cullen moved them so that she was sprawled on top of his muscled frame. She smiled, and sat up to position herself in the cradle of his hips. Wrapping one hand around the base, she guided him to her entrance and sank down onto his cock. She breathed out slowly, careful not to tense up too much. That momentary flash of pain gave way to a warm fullness she hadn’t experienced before. 

“Is… is this all right?” he asked as she settled on top of him.

She clenched up around his shaft and then gave an experimental roll of her hips. “You tell me,” she teased.

Beneath her, Cullen gasped and gripped at the white bedding as though his sanity depended on it. Biting her lip coyly, she allowed her inner walls to go lax before tightening up again, getting used to the substantial girth buried inside of her. _Maker_ but he felt amazing, better than that blasted toy ever could. Her hands explored the long stretches of carved muscle and traced old scars as well as newer ones that still were pink against his fair skin. Sweat beaded at his hairline, and she could tell he was doing everything in his power to hold back. Knowing how much he denied himself - a remnant of his Chantry days - Aliénor wanted to see him give in, at least just once. She was determined to make Cullen lose control.

Reaching down, she loosened one hand from the sheet and brought it up to cradle her face. She turned and then pressed a soft kiss to his large, rough palm before settling it onto her left breast. Cullen quickly seemed to cotton onto her intent, and his other came up to cup the right. She rewarded him with a pleasant sigh and arched into his touch. A furious blush broke out over his cheeks when she began to rock in his lap, her full breasts pushing into his palm with the motion. He plucked at her nipples, making her gasp and her cunt tightened up around his cock again.

“That’s it,” he whispered, his golden amber gaze focused on her. “Come for me, Ali.”

Her heart fluttered at the sound of such an informal name. She loved it when he called her by her first name instead of her title, but this felt more intimate. Desire wound its way through her body again, beginning low at the base of her and reaching out toward her extremities. She rode him, practically bouncing in his lap. His hands continued caressing her, urging her closer to that edge.

“Maker, Cullen,” she gasped as she felt herself cresting once more. “Oh, _yes!_ ”

The orgasm overtook her body, not quite as strong as the first but no less satisfying. She clamped down onto his cock, her entire frame shuddering atop him. He watched her with complete awe and something warmer that she hesitated to call love, but she could find no other word for it. It was his strong grip that kept her from collapsing, and he allowed her just enough time to ease down from that shining point.

And then she was swiftly maneuvered onto all fours with Cullen pressed against her backside. Aliénor gasped in surprise. One arm braced her middle while the other held the carved wooden headboard in front of her. Still in a daze, she was about to question what he was doing and then Cullen wedged his cock into her again. This angle caused her to cry out sharply, it was too much. Too good.

“Isn’t this how you wanted me, darling?” he growled against the shell of her ear. She flashed hot, recalling how he had found her screaming his name while being taken from behind by the toy. 

“ _Yes_ ,” she sighed. “Please fuck me, Cullen. Come inside me.”

That was all he needed, and then Cullen was pounding into her over and over again. Her hips ached with the force of it, every nerve ending singing with pleasure. She gripped the headboard to steady herself. His mouth pressed hot, open kisses along her neck and shoulder before biting down slightly on the sensitive skin.

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?” he panted, his hand coming down to brush over her wet mound. “How long I’ve wanted you?”

She could only sob in response. She needed him to continue or she was certain she would die. His fingers found her clit, rubbing and circling it until she felt a small wave of pleasure surge through her body. 

“Fuck, Cullen,” she rasped out.

Blindly, she sought out his mouth for another kiss as he drove her wild. He never let up, still fucking her just as hard. Another, much stronger orgasm took her and wetness surged between her thighs. In that same moment, Cullen buried his cock to the hilt, crying out her name as he came. He throbbed inside of her, thick heat filling her cunt until it leaked out of her. Both slumped forward, Cullen's arm shielding her from the hard edge of the wood and the rest of him pressed fully against her back as he sought to regain his composure.

"Maker's breath, Ali," he panted against her shoulder and she hummed happily in response, echoing the sentiment.

They settled down on the less damp side of the bed - which was still plenty of space for both of them with how large the thing was - and Aliénor took her time enjoying the feeling of his mouth on hers. Her body lay half draped over his, his one arm resting against her naked back. They left the covers off, enjoying the cool evening air against their sweat-drenched skin. There wasn’t the same heat behind their kisses, but they were no less satisfying. Cullen pressed his lips to her forehead and stroked her hair with a sweet smile on his face.

“I’d like to stay, if that’s all right,” he said. “I can’t think of anything I want more than to fall asleep with you in my arms.”

How the man could manage to make her blush _again_ after all that astounded her. Aliénor could only nod and then brought him back for another kiss. A quiet moment passed and Cullen lifted his head, looking towards the one open window. She went still, and then she heard the distant, but somehow familiar, moans and grunts drifting in from outside. Another set joined them, deeper than the other set. Both sounded masculine.

“I suppose we weren’t the only ones with this idea,” she said, smirking.

Cullen chuckled. “Probably some courtiers sneaking off to the gardens.”

“No, I’m pretty sure that’s Dorian and Bull.”

“What?!” he exclaimed, his eyes wide and blinking. It seemed to dawn on him what that might entail. “Oh. How would…”

She sat up and kissed him chastely. “I’ll explain it to you in the morning, but I’d assume a generous amount of oil.”

With that, Aliénor laid her head back against Cullen’s chest and left him to work out the mechanics of Qunari-human intercourse on his own. She couldn’t help but giggle quietly to herself as she drifted off.


End file.
